Catheter Lumen Coating for Thin-Wall Low-Friction Flexibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing catheters suffer from stiffness and thick walls due to the use of PTFE liners for low friction lumens, necessitating a more flexible and thinner-walled design with a lubricious coating.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for coating the lumen and exterior of catheters using a two-step process with polyaziridine and polyurethane or polyacrylate solutions, followed by curing, to achieve a bilaminar coating that enhances flexibility and reduces wall thickness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If PTFE liners are used to provide low friction lumen surface, then friction is reduced, but the catheter becomes stiff and has thick walls

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of device passageVSAvoidcatheter flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameters by replacing PTFE with a lubricious coating composed of polyaziridine and polyurethane or polyacrylate. This coating provides low friction while allowing thinner wall construction, thereby improving flexibility without sacrificing ease of device passage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a composite lubricious coating system combining polyaziridine with polyurethane or polyacrylate. This composite material structure enables the catheter to achieve both low friction properties and improved flexibility through thinner wall design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of operation

If PTFE liners are used to provide low friction lumen surface, then friction is reduced, but the catheter wall thickness increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of device passageVSAvoidcatheter wall thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies a thin film lubricious coating on the catheter lumen surface instead of using thick PTFE liners. This thin film provides sufficient lubrication for easy device passage while allowing the catheter wall to be thinner and more flexible.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Strength

If a lubricious coating is applied to the lumen surface, then the catheter becomes thinner and more flexible, but the coating process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecatheter flexibilityVSAvoidcoating process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the lubricious coating to the catheter lumen surface before final assembly and curing. This preliminary coating action allows the catheter to be manufactured with thinner walls and improved flexibility, while the coating process is integrated into the existing manufacturing workflow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses polyaziridine as an intermediary material that forms a lubricious coating on the catheter lumen. This intermediary coating provides the necessary lubrication properties while enabling thinner wall construction and improved flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method and apparatus enable the application of a lubricious coating that results in thinner, stronger, and more flexible catheters with improved maneuverability and ease of device passage.

Implementation Method 1

drawing the first coating solution into the lumen of the tube

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

curing the first coating solution

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPolymerization: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentUS20250353034A1Lumen Coating Method and Apparatus

Publication Date: 2025.11.20 INTEGER HYDROPHILIC TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

A method for coating the lumen of a tube comprises the steps of inserting the distal opening of a tube into a first coating solution, drawing the first coating solution into the lumen of the tube, draining the first coating solution from the lumen leaving a film of the first coating solution on the lumen of the tube, and curing the first coating solution. This leaves a first coating on the lumen of the tube. A coating apparatus comprises a pallet, and one or more dip funnels. The pallet comprises a manifold and is configured to fluidically connect the manifold to one or more tubes. The one or more dip funnels are configured to hold a coating solution and are located below the pallet so that when the pallet is moved vertically, the one or more tubes are inserted into the dip funnels.